Shoe-shining device



Des. 18 1923.

J. S. REILLY ET AL SHOE SHINING DEVICE Filed June 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 '5 81411014 60115 5 m4 Ml? an I Deco l8 i923. 1,477,594

J. S. RFJLLY ET AL SHOE SHINING DEVICE Filed June 5,

1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Elma Wham h h .w w

If em Dec 18 J. S. RElLLY ET AL SHOE SHINING DEVICE Sheets-Sheet Filed June 5. 1922 Patented Dec. 155, 1%23.

51%?53 FEQE.

JOHN s. REILLY AND FRANK n. LYNCH, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHOE-SHINING nnvron.

Application filed June 5, 1922. SerialNo. 565,866.

To all whom it may concern: ranged that the raising of one cover will Be it known that we, JOHN S. REILLY cause the other cover also to be raised. 5

and FRANK R. LYNCH, both citizens of the The invention consists in the novel con- United States, and both residents of borough struction, arrangement and combination of 5 of Manhattan, New York city, in the county parts hereinafter described, according to and State of New York, have invented certhe preferred embodiments thereof. The tain new and useful Improvements in Shoeinvention will be more particularly pointed Shining Devices, of which the following is out in the appended claims. a specification. Y In order that the invention may be more 10 The invention relates to a box particclearly understood attention is hereby diularly adapted for the use of boot blacks. rected to the accompanying drawings illus- One of the objects of the invention is the trating certain embodiments of the conprovision of such a box so arranged as to struction.

be particularly well adapted to display ad- In the drawings. 15 vertlsing matter to customers of the boot F 1g. 1 1llustrates a vertical seotlon black, and to others. through a boot black box with the cover In the preferred form of the device a boot supporting mechanism shown as collapsed black box is provided having an interior therein, in full lines, and in raised position,

space or compartment in which the implein dotted lines;

20 ments of the. boot black are kept, this co-m- Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the box partment being normally closed by a cover in closed position, the compartment cover or closure member adapted to carry adverat one end being shown while the comparttising matter. lVhen the box has been poment cover atthe other end is removed; sitioned with a customers foot resting Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 25 thereon in the usual fashion the boot black 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a view partly will open the closure member in order to in side elevation and partly in vertical secget out his brush and blacking or other tion of a modified form of construction.

implements. The closure member is so ar- Referring first to Figures 1 to 3 of the ranged that it will be positioned and supdrawings, the box illustrated has a base ported when opened in an unusual and unmember 1, front and rear members 2 and 3,

expected manner calculated to attract the and end members 4, 4. Vhat I term the attention of the customer and others to front member 2 is preferably provided with the advertising matter carried thereby. a handle 5 of any suitable character by In the preferred construction normally which the box may be carried.

closed compartments are positioned at each The box is preferably provided with end of the box, a foot rest being provided three sections, the middle one of which has on the top of the box intermediate the posi a permanent cover member 6 carrying a tions of the two end compartments. Both foot rest 7 of any deslred form. This percompartments are closed by covers which manent cover or top member 6 is supported will raise to a position which may be apby partitions 8, 8, extending from front proximately knee high on the person whose to rear, parallel to the end walls 4.

shoe is being shined, one of the covers then End compartments or spaces are pro being positioned on each side of the leg vided at each end of the box between the of the customer with the covers preferably adjacentwalls 41- and 8. Each of these end inclined upwardly from the horizontal, spaces is covered by a C Over member .9 away from the customer, so as to make adapted to have advertising matter disthe reading or display matter thereon more played thereon. I have shown cover mein- 0 readily readable to him. The covers will hers 9 as having flanged strips 10 extendpreferably be held in such position by iming across the same, atthe front and rear positive means so as readily to be lowered and in intermediate positions, so that cards into closed. position when the shoe shining 11 of paste board or the like, having adr job is finished. Preferably also the supvertising matter thereon, may be remox porting means for the covers are so arably inserted between the same. 1th the arrangement illustrated three advertising cards may be carried by each cover member 9. j 7

Each of the end spaces covered by a closure member 9 is preferably further divided by a partition 12 into an outer space 13 and an inner space 1 1, which lat: ter space is positioned between the adjacent walls 12 and 3. Each outer space 13 is provided to contain, when the covers are closed, the device for supporting the cover in closed position,- subsequently to be described. Each inner space 1 1 is provided to contain the various articles or implements required by the boot black such as the bottle, 15, the paste tubes 16, the brush 17, etc. Preferably suitable vided for these various articles as by the provision of partitions 18, 18, which extend parallel to the front and rear members 2 and 3 of the box, between the walls 12 and 3, (Fig. 2). If desired, supports for these articles may be provided above the bottom 1 of the box, such as the horizontal member 19 extending between partitions 12 and 3 as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be noted. that the various 00111.- partments for the articles referred to are entirely closed when closure members. 9 are in closed position, and that access to the same may only be obtained by raising covers 9.

Each-cover 9 is preferably held in closedposition by means from which the same is readily disengaged when the cover is to be raised. In the construction shown in the drawings flanged members 20 are provided at the rear of the box so that the rear edges of covers 9 may be moved rearwardly to slide the same: beneath the horizontal flanges of these members. At the front of the box holding members 21. are illustrated in the forms of strips rotatably mounted on pins or screws 22, extending into the front member 2 of the box. These rotatable holdin members may be swung into the vertica position shown in Fig. 1 in which the same will extend in front of the front edges of the covers 9 to prevent the same from being moved forwardly, or they .may be wunginto horizontal position shown in Fig. 3 in which they will not interfere with the forward movement of the cover. lVhen members 21 are in their vertical holding positions movement of the covers in the direction away from the base member 1 will be prevented by the engagement of the rear edges of the covers beneath the flanges of members 20 as described.

Mechanism for supporting each cover member in its raised position is preferably contained in an outer space 13, as has been noted, when the cover is in its closed positionj In the construction illustrated an arm 23 is provided at its lower end with a sub-compartments are pro-' boss 24 which is rotatably mounted on the annular flange 25 of a member 26 secured to the outer surface of the partition 12. Arm 23 is pivoted at its opposite end to an end of an arm 27, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the under side of the cover member 9. F In the construction illustrated the outer or upper end of arm 23 is provided with a cylindrical enlargement 23 rotatably mounted within an annular flange 29 on arm 27, the parts of the joint thus formed being held in position by means of a screw 30 extending into the cylindrical boss 29 and carrying a disc 31. Disc 31 bears against one endjof the annular flange 29 while a shoulder 32 on boss 28 bears against the opposite end of flange 29; as is indicated in Fig. 3.

Arm 2? at its opposite end is pivotally connected by pin 33 to a bracket 3 1 secured to the underside of cover 9, which bracket is preferably provided with a pair of downwardly extending flanges 35 through which the pin extends.

It will accordingly be seenthat arms 23 and 27 on each end of the box will occupy a folded position within compartment 13 when the cover is closed, as is shown in full lines' in Fig. 1. When the cover is raised it can only be supported when it is raisec suiliciently to swing arms 23 and 27 both into vertical position in alignment w'ithi each other, as is hown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When arms 23 and 27 are swung into their upper supporting position readily detachable means such as impositive locking means are provided to hold the same in such position.

As is indicated in Fig. 1 a bracket 36 may be secured to the end wall 4 which bracket has integral therewith or secured thereto a bent spring 37. Arm 23. is provided with a laterallyextending pin 38 which will ride over the end of spring 37, when the arms are raised, into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in which the pin and spring will form an impositive lock to hold arm 23 in vertical position.

Arm 27 is preferably provided with an extension 39 below its pivotal connection with arm 23 which extension carries a laterally extending pin a0 adapted to move into impositive locking connection with a spring 4L1 secured by a bracket d2 to arm .23. Arm 27 is alsopreferably provided with a finger or extension 413, the end portion at of which is adapted to bear against the rear surface portion 45 of arm 'aised. This will serve as a positive stop agaii it movement of arm 27 beyond the vertical position in a right handed direction,

referring to Fig. 1.

It will be noted that arm27 is preferably connected to cove 9 at a point to the rear of the center of 23, when the arms are 1 gravity of the cover v9 so that the weight of the cover tends, when the cover. is raised, to swing arm 27 in a right handed direct-ion about its pivotal connection with arm 23. Such movement is positively prevented by the stop as.

Each cover 9, as stated, is preferably arranged to swing upwardly at an angle to the horizontal, when raised, so as to be more easily read by the person'whose shoes are being shined. This may readily be accoiplished as by the provision of a spring 46 coiled about pivot pin 33, one end of the spring being secured to arm 27 while the other end of the springacts on cover 9 to raise the same into an inclined position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The construction which has been described in connection with raising and supporting one of the covers 9 may and preferably will be duplicated in connection with the other cover 9. Preferably, as stated, means are provided for causing the raising of one cover to additionally raise the other cover. As illustrated, this may readily be accomplished by the provision of a shaft 47 (Fig. 3), extending through the box between the two end sub-compartments 13. This shaft extends through openings in the bosses of the two arms 23, each of the bosses 25: being secured to the shaft by uitable means, such as pin 48 shown in Fig. 3. Shaft 4:? will extend through openings provided therefor in the partitions 12 and 8 and in the bearing members 26. Accordingly the raising of either cover 9 will result in the raising of the other cover member.

In the operation of the device described the boot black upon receiving an order for a shine will set his box down in the position shown and the customer will place his foot upon the foot rest 7. The boot black, in order to get out his implements, will then raise one or both of the covers 9, which he accomplishes by turning the holding clips 2i into horizontal position, drawing the covers forwardly a slight distance suilicient to en able the same to clear the horizontal flanges of brackets 20 at the rear. He then takes hold of one or both of the covers at the front edge thereof and raises the same. Arms 23 and 27 are preferably comparatively light so that little effort will be re quired for him to raise the covers. When he has finished the job he will replace his implements in the proper compartments and close the covers, which he will accomplish readily by swinging the arms 23 and 2'7 about their 1 inged connections 28, the impositive lock means yielding to slight pressure. The covers being lowered, he will push the same back under the flanges of the brackets 20 and swingthe arms 21 into v rtical position to hold the covers firmly l 7 place.

A modified construction is shown in Fig.

4, in which a toggle arm arrangement is indicated for raising the cover members. i is shown, each cover 9 may have pivotal y connected thereto a )air of arms Arms 49 are pivoted at the upper end of each by a pivotal connection 50 to a bracket 51 secured to the under side of the cover Each of the arms so is pivotally ('()ll nected at its lower end to the upper end oi? a link 52, these links being pivotally connected together at their midde points by pivotal connection 53. As many pairs or" links of the character indicated as are desired may be employed in accordance with the height to which it is desired to raise the covers.

in the drawings a pair of links are shown as pivotally connected to the lower ends of links 5:2, links 54: being pivotally connected together at their intermediate points by a pivotal connection The lower ends of links 5% are pivotally connected by means of ping 56 to the upper ends of a pair of short arms 57.

The lower ends of arms 57 are pivotally connected to the base member 1 of the box. Preferably a shaft 58 is mounted above the base i. of the box extending from end to end of the box in the same manner as shaft L7 in the term of construction first described. One of the arms is fixedly securd to shaft 58 while the other arm 57 is loosely mounted thereon. At the opposite end of the box a similar arrangement is employed for raising the cover S at that end, one of the arms ot the toggle joint arrany'ement at the end of the box just referred to being securd to the correspondin; end of shaft 58, while the other arm 57 is loose thereon. With this arrangement the raisin of either cox 'er will result. in swinging shall 58 through a certain arc resulting in the raising of the toggle device and the cover the other end of the box.

Any suitable means which are readily detachable may be utilized for holding the toggle devices in raised position. Pretera-bly impositive lock means are cn'iployed for this purpose. in the construction illustrated a pair of arms 59 are pivoted at their lower ends to a bracket (30 mounted on base 1, the construction being duplicated at the other end of the box. Each arm has a slot therein hav a strai ht portion (51 and a curved portion (then the toggle rippar its is collapsed within the closed cover arms I ots 63, with ains 56, which CQllSlltllla he pivotal connections between links M 57, resting in the straight portions (ll of the slots.

Arms are provided with the curred seats each oi? which extends imrardly ot' the curved slot portion 62. When the toggle arrangement is raised each pin 56 will rise, following the curvature of slot portion 62 and will come to rest on seat 64: when the toggle device is raised to its upper position. Seats 6a extend somewhat around pins 56, sufficiently to prevent the weight oi the cover and the toggle arrangement from forcing pins 56 laterally away from each other. Accordingly the toggle device will be held in raised position, arms 59 extending vertically as shown.

Arms 59 are shown as provided with tinger pieces 65 at their upper ends. When the boot black wishes to close his box it is only necessary for him to push the surfaces 65 towards each other with a slight pressure in order to move seats 6% out from under pins 56 whereupon the covers may be dropped into closed position, and secured therein by the same means as has already been described in connection with the first form of the device. Pivots 63 of arms 59 may be and preferably are through shafts with arms 59 secured thereto at both ends, so that inward pressure on finger pieces 65 at one end will oscillate shafts 63 and release pins 56 from seats 64 at both ends of the device. 7

The cover may readily be caused to occupy the desired inclined position when raised as by means of a slotted link 66 pivotally secured at its upper end at 67 to bracket 51. One of the arms 49 of the toggle carries a pin 68 slidably mounted within the slot 69 of link 66. hen the cover is in closed position pin 68 will occupy the upper portion of slot- 69. When, there fore, the cover is moved into its raised po sition, pin 68 will abut against the bottom of slot 69 to prevent the cover from swinging in a right handed direction beyond the desired inclination. The center of gravity of the cover is somewhat to the right of the pivotal connection 50 between the toggle device and the cover so that the weight of the cover acting at its center of gravity will tend to hold pin 68 against the bottom of slot 69.

It will be noted that the invention is not limited to the details of construction which have been particularly described but that various forms of specific device, adapted to accomplish the same general object, are included within the scope of the invention.

It will also be noted that advertising matter may be placed on the sides or other fixed portions of the box in addition to the movable cover or closure members. It will also be noted that the constructions described 'i-rovide simple and. effective boxes or stands for the boot black in addition to providing eii'ective and novel means for presenting advertisinc: nnitter in an unobiectionable and unobtrusive way, to persons to whom the same may be of interest. 7

It should also be noted that the invention is not limited, in its applicability to a portable box, but may be applied to a permanent boo-t black stand, and that the claims should be understoou as not limited in this particular.

What we claim is: V

1. A boot black box or stand having a compartment for implements, a closure therefor, movable from its seated position to give access to the compartment, and means for holding said closure, when opened, in an elevated position, said closure. being adapted to carry advertising or display matter.

2. A bootblacl: box or stand having a foot rest space, a compartment for implements ha mg a cover at one sideof the foot rest space, a Japted to carry advertising matter, and means for supporting the cover, when opened, in a position calculated to attract the attention oi a person whose foot is on the foot rest space to the advertising matter on the cover.

A boot black box or stand having a foot rest space, a compartment for impleme to gr interfering with the shining of a shoe on the foot rest space, and means for supporting said closure, when opened, only in an unexpected position, adapted to attract attention thereto, said closure being adapted to carry advertisements.

4%. A boot black box or stand having a foot space, compartments for implements on either side of said foot rest space, having closures anapted to be opened, to give access to said compartments, without interfering with the shining of a shoe on the foot rest space, and means for supporting said closures, when opened, only in unexpected positions, adapted to attract attention thereto.

A boot black box or stano having a foot rest space, a compartment tor implements having a closure, adapted to be opened, to give access to said compartment, without interfering with the shiningoi a shoeon said foot rest space, and means for supporting said closure, when opened, in a position where it is bojlily raised above said foot rest space. r

6. A boot black box or stand having foot rest space, a con'ipartme-nt for implements having a closure, adapted to be opened, to give access to said compartment, without interte ingwith the shining of a shoeon said toot rest space, and means for sip iorting said closure. when opened, in a positioir where it is inclined upwardly tronrthe horizontal away trom the person whose foot is on the foot rest space, said closure carrying advertising matter. 7 p i v T. A boot black box or stand having a. compartment for implements, a closure therefor,

movable iromits seated position to give ac-' s having a closure adapted to be opened, access to said compartment, without cess to the compartment, and means, comprising a plurality of pivoted arms, for holding said closure, when opened, in an elevated position, said closure being adapted to carry display matter.

8. A boot black box or stand having a compartment for implements, a closure therefor, movable from its seated position to give access to the compartment, and means, comprising a plurality of pivotedr arms, for holdmg said closure, when opened, in an elevated position, with its upper surface approximately at right angles to the line of vision of a person Whose foot is on the foot rest space, said closure being adapted to carry advertising matter.

9. A boot black box or stand having a compartment for implements, a closure there for, movable from its seated position to give access to the compartment, and means, comprising a plurality of jointed arms, for securing said closure to the box and supporting the same in raised position, said arms being adapted to fold up Within the box when said closure is seated thereon.

10. A boot black box or stand having a compartment for implements, a closure therefor, movable from its seated position to give access to the compartment, and means, comprising a pair of arms, pivoted together at their adjacent ends, and to the box and to the closure at their opposite ends, for supporting said closure in raised position when said arms are raised into vertical alignment with each other, and impositive lock means for holding said arm in such position.

11. A boot black box or stand having a foot rest space, compartments for implements on either side of said foot rest space, having closures adapted to be opened, to give access to said compartments, without interfering with the shining of a shoe on the foot rest space, means, comprising pivoted links, for supporting said closures when raised in elevated positions, and connections between the supporting means for the two closures whereby the raising of one closure will cause the raising of the other closure.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification, at New York city, N. Y., on this 29th day of May, 1922.

JOHN S. REILLY. FRANK R. LYNCH. 

